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SENIOR Tories have blasted proposals by Sir Keir Starmer’s allies to grant British citizenship to millions of EU passport holders.

Influential think tank Labour Together urged the opposition leader to give default citizenship to all EU migrants who have settled in Britain.

MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 12: Labour leader Keir Starmer delivers a speech at Silverstone Technology Park on December 12, 2023 in Milton Keynes, England. The Labour leader speaks on the fourth anniversary of the General Election saying that he has changed the Labour Party so that it 'shares Britain's values'. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
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Top Tories have slammed Sir Keir Starmer after think tank Labour Together urged him to grant default citizenship to all EU migrants who have settled in BritainCredit: Getty

It said it will stop people thinking immigrants do not contribute to the economy.

Labour Together argue that the 3.7million EU citizens granted settled status after Brexit should automatically be given British passports.

Settled status enables migrants to live and work in the UK indefinitely — but does not include the right to a passport.

Tory deputy chairman Jonathan Gullis accused Sir Keir of a “Brexit betrayal” by “allowing millions of EU citizens to become UK citizens overnight”.

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He said: “This is part of his ‘deal’ with the EU which would see us surrender our borders to his buddies in Brussels.

“Sir Keir just can’t be trusted to back Britain’s borders.”

Christabel Cooper, director of research at Labour Together, said: “Our new research shows that policies encouraging immigrants to take British citizenship and which promote integration are popular.”

However, a Labour spokesman said: “This report does not reflect Labour Party policy.

“Labour’s focus is on fixing the immigration and asylum system, which is broken after 14 years of Tory mismanagement.”

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